Energy Answers with Daniel Burke

Daniel Burke
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Energy Answers is the commercial and industrial energy management show by Daniel Burke, presented by Tactical Energy Group. This series covers the complete C&I energy canon — 100 decisions every plant manager, facilities director, and industrial operator needs to understand: demand charges, power factor, utility rate structures, energy procurement, load management, demand response, backup power, renewable options, submetering, and everything in between. If you manage a facility and energy costs or power reliability are on your radar, this is where you get real answers on the first visit. New episode every week.

  1. 2d ago

    Energy Decision # 55 - On-site Solar PV Explained: When It Pays

    On-site solar PV for C&I customers can lower operating costs and stabilize part of your power price. That only holds when your electricity rate, your state's export rules, your daytime load, and your ownership structure line up. This is Energy Decision #55 in the complete C&I energy management series by Daniel Burke. It's part of his mission to create the world's largest, free, high-trust energy resource library for commercial and industrial consumers. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: - Behind-the-meter solar: self-consumption vs. exported energy, and how exports are credited depending on your state - Energy billed per kilowatt-hour vs. demand billed per kilowatt, and which one solar offsets - Solar plus storage for peak shaving, demand charge management, and backup power - Why your marginal energy charge sets your commercial solar payback period, and why your average bill rate overstates it - The split incentive problem between building owners and tenants - Export rule changes: California's net billing tariff and Indiana's phase-out of net metering - Direct ownership vs. third-party ownership: cash, loans, solar leases, and the solar PPA - The federal tax credit and its current deadlines, depreciation, SRECs, and elective pay for schools and municipalities Who this is for: plant managers, facility managers, and finance leaders at manufacturing plants, school districts, municipalities, breweries, farms, and retail operations who have a solar proposal in front of them and need to know whether the payback holds up. If you're asking whether solar makes sense for your manufacturing plant, or how a solar PPA compares with a cash purchase, this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on On-site Solar PV for C&I Customers at www.tac-nrg.com If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at tac-nrg.com/blueprint. Visit tac-nrg.com to access the entire Energy Answers resource library and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators.

  2. 3d ago

    Energy Decision # 54 - ISO 50001 Explained: Savings That Last

    ISO 50001 and Strategic Energy Management (Expedited) give industrial and commercial facilities a structured energy management system for cutting energy costs year after year. This is Energy Decision #54 in the complete C&I energy management series by Daniel Burke. It's part of his mission to create the world's largest, free, high-trust energy resource library for commercial and industrial consumers. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: - ISO 50001 energy management system (EnMS) requirements and the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle - Energy review, energy baseline, and production-normalized energy performance indicators (EnPIs) - EU 2026-2027 thresholds and Germany's EnMS requirement - How much ISO 50001 saves, per ISO and DOE Superior Energy Performance data - Non-production period consumption on weekends and shutdowns - Sub-metering and the ISO 50001 payback period on monitoring infrastructure - Organizational failure modes and ISO 9001/14001 High-Level Structure integration Who this is for: plant managers, facility managers, and operations and finance executives at manufacturing plants, industrial facilities, commercial buildings, and municipalities who need energy cost reductions that last. If you're asking "do I need ISO 50001 for my facility" or how to build an energy management system for sustained savings, this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on ISO 50001 and Strategic Energy Management (Expedited) at www.tac-nrg.com If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at tac-nrg.com/blueprint. Visit tac-nrg.com to access the entire Energy Answers resource library and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators.

  3. 4d ago

    Energy Decision # 53 - Voltage Sags Explained: Find the Root Cause

    Voltage sags and swells are short voltage disturbances. They reset controls, cost your motors torque, and drive out-of-warranty equipment repairs in commercial and industrial facilities. This is Energy Decision #53 in the complete C&I energy management series by Daniel Burke. It's part of his mission to create the world's largest, free, high-trust energy resource library for commercial and industrial consumers. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: - The thresholds: a voltage sag (dip) is 10 to 90 percent of nominal, a voltage swell is 110 percent or more, and how both differ from a transient voltage - Undervoltage and overvoltage as the sustained versions of sags and swells - Operational symptoms, including equipment resets, lighting flicker, and motor torque loss - Common causes, from motor starts and loose connections to line-to-ground faults and transformer tap settings - A four-step troubleshooting sequence using stakeholder interviews, thermal imaging, and multimeter checks - How power analyzer data, combined with other checks, helps you tell whether a sag starts inside or outside your facility - Mitigation by event type and cost: fixing internal causes, hardening sensitive controls, and saving a UPS for loads where the cost of a trip justifies it - Why a periodic power quality study makes sense even when your plant shows no symptoms If you've asked "why does my equipment keep resetting" or "how do I tell if a voltage problem is the utility or internal," this episode answers both. Who this is for: plant managers, facility managers, and operations executives at manufacturing plants, hospitals, commercial buildings, and industrial facilities who are dealing with unexplained resets, motor faults, and early equipment failures. If you're working out how to protect your equipment and operations from the cost of voltage sags and swells, this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on Voltage Sags and Swells at www.tac-nrg.com If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at tac-nrg.com/blueprint. Visit tac-nrg.com to access the entire Energy Answers resource library and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators.

  4. 5d ago

    Energy Decision # 52 - High-Efficiency Commercial HVAC Systems Explained: Buy for Part Load

    High-Efficiency Commercial HVAC Systems are the largest single energy end use in most commercial buildings. The Whole Building Design Guide estimates HVAC accounts for 39% of the energy used in U.S. commercial buildings, and most systems run at 50% or less of their capacity. This is Energy Decision #52 in the complete C&I energy management series by Daniel Burke. It's part of his mission to create the world's largest, free, high-trust energy resource library for commercial and industrial consumers. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: - HVAC part-load performance and why rated peak efficiency only applies at full load - Oversized HVAC equipment and ASHRAE 90.1 safety factors as an upper limit - Sizing replacements against measured BAS trend data and utility interval data - Condensing boiler efficiency, return water temperature, and how it compares with firetube, watertube and cast iron boilers - ENERGY STAR commercial boiler thermal efficiency and turndown ratio - Chiller full-load kW per ton and IPLV/NPLV part-load ratings - CAV with reheat compared with VAV systems - DDC controls, variable speed drive chillers, water temperature reset and integrated chiller plant control - HVAC commissioning and whole-building integration - What payback estimates for whole-building design do and don't tell you about a single equipment replacement Who this is for: facility managers, plant managers and operations and finance executives at office buildings, schools, hospitals, manufacturing facilities and municipal buildings who are paying to heat and cool with equipment sized for conditions that rarely occur. If you're deciding which high-efficiency HVAC solutions to invest in, or asking whether your chiller is oversized, this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on High-Efficiency Commercial HVAC Systems at www.tac-nrg.com If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at tac-nrg.com/blueprint. Visit tac-nrg.com to access the entire Energy Answers resource library and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators.

  5. 6d ago

    Energy Decision # 51 - Energy Audits (ASHRAE Level 1, 2, 3) Explained: Pick the Right Level

    Energy Audits (ASHRAE Level 1, 2, 3) set how much engineering rigor you buy when you pay for an energy audit. Pick the wrong level and you either waste audit money or rest a capital project on a rough savings estimate. This is Energy Decision #51 in the complete C&I energy management series by Daniel Burke. It's part of his mission to create the world's largest, free, high-trust energy resource library for commercial and industrial consumers. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: - Why "energy audit" tells you nothing until a vendor names an ASHRAE level - ASHRAE Standard 211 and the Procedures for Commercial Building Energy Audits - The Preliminary Energy Use Analysis: utility bill analysis, EUI calculation, and energy benchmarking - The Level 1 walk-through audit and rough order of magnitude estimates for energy efficiency measures (EEMs) - The Level 2 energy survey and analysis: equipment inventory, energy balance, and M&V plan - The Level 3 detailed survey, the Investment Grade Audit (IGA), and performance contracts - The conflict of interest when the ESCO that writes the IGA also builds the project - Right-sizing audit spend against the savings your EUI benchmark suggests - Scoping an audit to support LEED O+M requirements - Screening auditors for ASHRAE BEAP and BEMP credentials What's the difference between ASHRAE Level 1, 2 and 3, and which energy audit do you need for your building? Daniel answers both. Who this is for: Building owners, industrial facility managers, and property managers at commercial buildings, industrial facilities, K-12 schools, hospitals, and municipalities who need to scope an audit without overpaying or under-scoping a capital project. If you're deciding which ASHRAE energy audit level fits your building's savings goals and your tolerance for error on a capital project, this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on Energy Audits (ASHRAE Level 1, 2, 3) at www.tac-nrg.com If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at tac-nrg.com/blueprint. Visit tac-nrg.com to access the entire Energy Answers resource library and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators.

  6. Oct 2

    Energy Decision # 50 - BTM Generation Metering Configuration Explained: Net, Gross, and Parallel

    Behind-the-meter generation metering configuration (specifically the election between net, gross, and parallel metering) is one of the most consequential and least-scrutinized decisions in any C&I on-site generation or storage project. This is Energy Decision #50 in the complete C&I energy management series from Tactical Energy Group. 100 decisions. Every one that matters. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: What the utility meter actually is as a legal and commercial boundary, and why that boundary governs every metering election downstream. Net metering mechanics: how bidirectional meters work, what they credit, and what they do not offset (demand charges, standby charges). Gross metering and production meters: why certain incentive programs require total generation measurement, not net exchange. Parallel metering: how independent generation and load measurement enables demand charge management and grid services settlement that net metering cannot support. The four value streams affected by metering configuration: bill savings, incentive program revenue, REC and capacity credit value, and grid services revenue. Standby charges: the cost variable most vendors omit from their financial models, and how metering configuration determines whether they apply and how they're calculated. Tariff lock-in and net metering policy erosion: what happens when a state moves from retail-rate net metering to avoided-cost net billing mid-project. Dual-meter configuration as a standard C&I pattern for operators pursuing both bill savings and incentive compliance. Episode 7 connection: why standby charge exposure is directly tied to your metering election. Who this is for: plant managers, facility managers, operations executives, and CFOs at manufacturing facilities, cold storage operations, healthcare campuses, commercial real estate portfolios, and municipalities who are planning or evaluating a behind-the-meter generation or storage project. If you're trying to figure out which metering configuration to elect for your behind-the-meter installation to maximize bill savings, preserve REC and capacity credit value, and avoid standby charges over the tariff lock-in period, this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on behind-the-meter generation metering configuration at tac-nrg.com/behind-the-meter-generation-metering-configuration. If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at blueprint.tac-nrg.com. Visit tac-nrg.com for more practical tools and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators. 00:00 Understanding Metering Configurations 02:43 Net vs. Gross Metering Explained 04:51 The Importance of Metering Choices 07:49 Navigating Utility Agreements and Charges

  7. Oct 1

    Energy Decision # 49 - Onsite Generation Sizing Explained: Right-Size Without Overbuilding

    Onsite generation sizing under N+1 and 2N redundancy requirements is one of the highest-stakes capex decisions a mission-critical facility will make, and the most common mistakes happen before a single generator is specified. This is Energy Decision #49 in the complete C&I energy management series from Tactical Energy Group. 100 decisions. Every one that matters. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: - What N, N+1, 2N, and 2N+1 actually mean and how to use them as a decision framework - Uptime Institute Tier I through Tier IV availability targets and annual downtime allowances - Why theoretical availability and actual availability diverge, and what operations quality does to that gap - Generator sizing beyond IT nameplate: UPS battery recharge inrush current, cooling load share, and PUE ratios - The growth margin trap: why N generators sized for current load quietly eliminate N+1 redundancy after modest IT expansion - Single points of failure that negate upstream redundancy investment, including downstream distribution paths and shared fuel supply - Paralleling switchgear reliability as a generator-plant-level risk - Fuel storage runtime sizing, fuel quality degradation, and why delivery contracts are a design element - The N+1 maintenance paradox and practical mitigation strategies - NFPA 110 life safety branch requirements and the AHJ interpretation that can force separate generator plants Who this is for: facility engineers, operations executives, and finance leaders at data centers, hospitals, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and colocation facilities who are asking what redundancy tier should govern their onsite generation design. If you're trying to figure out how to right-size generation capacity without overbuilding capex while still satisfying insurers, accreditors, and a less reliable grid, this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on onsite generation sizing under N+1 and 2N redundancy requirements at tac-nrg.com/onsite-generation-sizing-n1-2n-redundancy. If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at blueprint.tac-nrg.com. Visit tac-nrg.com for more practical tools and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators. 00:00 Understanding the Cost of Downtime 02:22 Redundancy in Power Systems 04:18 Generator Sizing and Its Importance 06:19 Challenges to Redundancy 08:17 Regulatory Considerations in Power Systems 11:25 Conclusion and Next Steps

  8. Sep 30

    Energy Decision # 48 - Green Hydrogen Explained: Know Before You Commit Capital

    Green hydrogen for industrial and C&I energy storage is one of the most capital-intensive and least-understood decisions facing heavy industry, chemical manufacturers, and large commercial operators today. This is Energy Decision #48 in the complete C&I energy management series from Tactical Energy Group. 100 decisions. Every one that matters. In this episode, Daniel Burke covers: The energy density paradox: why hydrogen's 120 MJ/kg mass advantage inverts completely on a volume basis and what that means for your storage footprint. Green, gray, and blue hydrogen classification and why the production pathway determines your cost, tax credit eligibility, and compliance exposure. The blue hydrogen methane leakage risk and the three supplier verification requirements before signing any offtake agreement. The electrification-first decision rule: when green hydrogen on average requires 3 to 7 times more energy than direct electrification. Which industrial processes genuinely justify green hydrogen: high-temperature heating, cement kilns, steel production, and ammonia. The 45V production tax credit structure, the $4-per-kilogram green versus $1.50-per-kilogram gray cost gap, and how the credit bridges it. Hourly time-matching risk starting in 2028 and what it means for your supplier's ability to deliver economically. Additionality requirements and why your green hydrogen procurement may not survive ESG audit without them. Hydrogen leak detection and why industrial hydrogen LDAR programs need to be re-evaluated before scaling new infrastructure. Battery energy storage as the near-term workhorse and where green hydrogen fits as a complementary technology. Who this is for: plant managers, operations executives, and finance leaders at heavy industry facilities, chemical manufacturers, oil and gas operations, and large commercial facilities who are evaluating green hydrogen as part of an energy improvement or decarbonization compliance strategy. If you are trying to figure out whether green hydrogen makes sense for your industrial process (or whether it will ever pencil out) this episode is built for you. Read the full breakdown on green hydrogen for industrial and C&I energy storage at tac-nrg.com/green-hydrogen-industrial-ci-energy-storage. If you're an Indiana C&I operator actively evaluating this decision, get your free Energy Decision Blueprint at blueprint.tac-nrg.com. Visit tac-nrg.com for more practical tools and the Energy Decision Blueprint for qualified Indiana C&I operators. 00:00 Introduction to Green Hydrogen 02:51 Understanding Hydrogen Production and Economics 03:08 Color Classifications and Their Implications 05:28 Evaluating the Viability of Green Hydrogen 08:25 Conclusion and Next Steps for Operators

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About

Energy Answers is the commercial and industrial energy management show by Daniel Burke, presented by Tactical Energy Group. This series covers the complete C&I energy canon — 100 decisions every plant manager, facilities director, and industrial operator needs to understand: demand charges, power factor, utility rate structures, energy procurement, load management, demand response, backup power, renewable options, submetering, and everything in between. If you manage a facility and energy costs or power reliability are on your radar, this is where you get real answers on the first visit. New episode every week.

Information

  • Creator
    Daniel Burke
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    55
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Daniel Burke